“I don’t really buy into that” – Michael Morkov rubbishes theory Jonas Vingegaard cannot produce in one-day races as European Championship looms

Danish national coach Michael Morkov has dismissed suggestions that Jonas Vingegaard is unsuited to one-day racing, insisting the double Tour de France winner has already shown the qualities needed to deliver in the format.

The debate has resurfaced in the build-up to the upcoming 2025 European Championships, where Vingegaard will line up in Danish colours fresh from his Vuelta a Espana triumph. With the 28-year-old’s calendar in recent years overwhelmingly weighted towards Grand Tours and stage races, some observers have questioned whether he can adapt to the unique dynamics of a single-day contest.

Morkov, who will direct the national team from the car, has little patience for that line of thought. “I don’t really buy into that theory,” he said firmly in quotes collected by Feltet.dk. “I think Jonas has shown several times that he can be outstanding on the first stage of a race. Those days are in many ways comparable to one-day races, and he has been exceptional there.”

The national selector points to June’s Criterium du Dauphiné as a prime example. On an opening stage that looked ill-suited on paper, Vingegaard was part of a select quartet at the finish alongside Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel. He even launched his own attack deep into the finale before contesting the sprint, ultimately finishing runner-up behind Pogacar.

“To me, that tells you everything,” Morkov argued. “He attacked, he raced aggressively, and he had the legs to finish it off against the very best. Of course he can perform in a one-day race.”

Vingegaard himself has been more cautious in his assessment. Speaking last week in Denmark, he admitted that he does not see himself as the outright favourite for the European title. Instead, he named Pogacar as the man to beat, while suggesting that riders like Evenepoel and Van der Poel could also thrive on the hilly circuit. “The course suits punchy riders and explosive classics specialists,” he said. “I will give everything, but I think others start with a better chance.”

That blend of modesty and sharp late-season form, however, could prove a potent combination. Fresh from sealing the Vuelta in Madrid, Vingegaard enters the European Championships with confidence high and a national team built to support him.

Whether or not he can translate his stage-race success into a big one-day triumph remains to be seen. But if Morkov’s conviction is well founded, Sunday in Leuven could provide a definitive answer.